Edition: Jazz Studio Orchestra Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Robert Farnon's arrangement of Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town initially drops the song's more traditionally playful feel for a warmer, cozier approach that makes for a perfect match for Tony Bennett's golden tenor. Even when the arrangement gets louder, it should never cross over into being brash or harsh.

After the band joyfully kicks things off, Bennett takes the spotlight at measure 9, although the horn and string backgrounds are complicated enough at times to not completely vanish them from the stage. Taken at a comfortable swing tempo at first, the interlude after the melody sets up a new, more cutesy straight 8ths feel with some implied double time in the strings. The jubilant atmosphere even causes Bennett to giggle with glee at times during his performance of the second chorus.

This feel doesn't overstay its welcome, though, as the original swing tempo returns just in time for the second half of the melody. On top of this, they key modulates up a half step for the finale. Bennett sings the last line of the tune, followed by a sharp and sudden rip in the horns and violins that lead into a short semi-vamp, ending on one final honk in the low brass and woodwinds.

We have included an optional set of alternate woodwind parts that remove all of the doubling if you wish to play this arrangement with a straight-up sax section instead. In addition, the horn in F part is cued in trombone 1 in the event your ensemble does not have this instrument available. The vocal key modulates from C to Db.

This publication was prepared using Robert Farnon's original pencil score - this is not a transcription.

 

 

Full Score
Woodwind 1: Alto Saxophone/Clarinet
Woodwind 2: Alto Saxophone/Clarinet
Woodwind 3: Tenor Saxophone/Clarinet
Woodwind 4: Tenor Saxophone/Bass Clarinet
Woodwind 5: Baritone Saxophone/Bass Clarinet
4 Trumpets
Horn in F (Optional)
3 Trombones
Bass Trombone
2 Violins (12 Players Recommended)
Viola (4 Players Recommended)
Cello (4 Players Recommended)
Harp
Guitar
Celeste/Piano
Bass
Percussion: Sleigh Bells/Vibraphone
Drum Set
Alternate Woodwind 1: Alto Saxophone (No Clarinet Double)
Alternate Woodwind 2: Alto Saxophone (No Clarinet Double)
Alternate Woodwind 3: Tenor Saxophone (No Clarinet Double)
Alternate Woodwind 4: Tenor Saxophone (No Bass Clarinet Double)
Alternate Woodwind 5: Baritone Saxophone (No Bass Clarinet Double)

Vocal Key: C
Trumpet 1: E6
Trombone 1: Db5 (Optional D5)